SINGER REIMAGINED

Track 1

June 19, 2017

A company born to combine obsessive attention to detail, unique perspectives and our love of a golden era of mechanical watch design.

The objective: to Reimagine high watch-making.

Iconic Automotive Design

Singer Vehicle Design was founded in 2009 to explore the creative possibilities within the vibrant world of the classic automobile. Since then, its focus has been the obsessive pursuit of the ultimate reimagined Porsche 911.

The process of reimagining is central to Singer’s philosophy. Its lofty objective is to distil, enhance and recombine the strands of greatness that mark out a design icon. Starting with historical DNA, Singer adds modern techniques and its own unique perspective. The result is a singular, jewel-like form or, as some have put it “The 911 as Art”

Horological Fascination

Eight years on, Singer’s automotive work is collected, displayed and driven globally. Now, Singer Reimagined SA, has been created to explore the world of high watch- making, re-imagining traditional functions and infusing them with unique personal perspectives.

Singer loves the icons of automotive design and Singer Reimagined brings this same philosophy of respect for the classics to the field of watch-making, obsessively searching for ways to optimize every elemental strand of design. This endeavor is fueled by the belief that there are no shortcuts and that beauty comes from an unflinching need to optimize function.

Inspiration for the designs is born out of the fascination with the golden era of analogue mechanical watch design. It is driven by the passion for the sport classic watches of the 1960s and 1970s, by the love for the engineering complexity of the automatic chronograph and by the authentic connection between automotive and horological worlds.

From those strands of DNA, Singer pursues a profoundly reimagined mechanical classic standard.

Everything is Important

All Singer’s work is guided by the philosophy that Everything is important.

A flagrant disregard for the concept of “good enough” and a willingness to overturn convention characterizes its work. The end result must delight, borne from the single- minded pursuit of aesthetic and engineering perfection.

Singer Reimagined watches are defined by that same guiding principle: the need to improve, ignore convention, edge closer to perfection and ask “what if?” For this first model, the obsession stems from a desire to give the chronograph movement the respect it deserves.

The more you scratch the surface with Singer’s work, the more there is to decode. A never-before-seen movement a decade in development, a team bringing together true design and engineering talent from automotive and horological worlds and a love affair between California and Geneva.

SINGER REIMAGINED –

EXTREME ENDEAVOUR.

Singer Reimagined was born from an encounter between Rob Dickinson, the founder of Singer Vehicle Design, and Marco Borraccino, a well-known watch designer, in 2014.

The connection over design and engineering was instant. For almost a year, Rob in California and Marco in Geneva riffed on cars, music, watches and a shared fascination with mechanical icons, particularly the iconic sport-classic chronographs of the late 1960s and ‘70s.

From this discussion an idea was born; to create mighty timepieces that would reimagine high-watchmaking.

As with all Singer’s work, this would be a collaboration. The obsessive perfectionism from the team behind Singer Vehicle Design, coupled with thoroughbred watch- making talent. Centers of automotive and horological culture creating an authentic link between their worlds.

Marco refined a unique concept, sketching a watch that overturned convention, while still retaining the essential beauty and function of an iconic sporting chronograph. Initially, one critical element was missing – an engine suitable to power what Marco envisaged.

It was at this point that a decisive encounter with a third pillar of the collaboration took place. Marco shared his idea for a unique chronograph with famed Master watchmaker Jean-Marc Wiederrecht. He was prepared for skepticism. Instead, as he unveiled his drawings, he found enthusiasm from a man who had been working on a revolution of his own.

Driven by his own curiosity and creativity, Jean-Marc Wiederrecht had spent almost 10 years developing a unique, never-seen before chronograph movement – the AgenGraphe. This revolutionary creation would make possible the single stem central chronograph that Marco had imagined – a perfect match that was more than simple coincidence. Great minds truly think alike.

From that moment it was decided, the AgenGraphe would power Singer’s timepieces, just as the iconic Porsche flat-six powers Singer’s automotive work.

THE TEAM

ROB DICKINSON

Rob has been fascinated by automotive design since childhood - an early encounter with a Porsche 911 resulting in a lifelong obsession with the iconic sports car. After studying design at university he began his automotive career with Lotus.

The pull of another obsession, music, led him to a decade-long international career as the songwriter and front-man for the group Catherine Wheel.

After leaving the music business Rob returned to cars and founded Singer Vehicle Design in 2008 to explore the creative possibilities in the vibrant world of classic automobiles. His work with the Porsche 911 is now exhibited at the world’s most prestigious automotive events.

Alongside cars, the world of classic watch design has long been a subject of deep fascination. Singer Reimagined has been founded to create mighty timepieces pursuing the philosophy that Everything is Important.

MARCO BORRACCINO

A childhood spent in Milan instilled Marco Borraccino with a lifelong passion for cars and design, leading him to further study in the fields of Art and Industrial Design.

During his corporate career, Marco spent time in charge of Global Design Management for P&G in Geneva. He also served as the Head of Design for Officine Panerai in Milan.

As a designer and creative director, he has run his own design consultancy office in Geneva since 2009, energizing the collections of several luxury watch and accessories brands with his creativity, attention to detail and easy-going personality. Recently, he was made responsible for the creation and management of the first Chair of Watch Design in Switzerland at the Geneva Design University – HEAD.

For Marco, Singer Reimagined is a natural progression, enabling him to freely express his creative ideals and passion for uncompromising design.

JEAN-MARC WIEDERRECHT

Over the last few decades, Jean-Marc Wiederrecht has forged a reputation as one of Switzerland’s greatest and most creative independent watchmakers. A fervent defender of authentic watchmaking, he is focused on preserving and developing its unicity, leading him to found Agenhor (Atelier Genevois d’Horlogerie) in 1996.

Based in Geneva, Agenhor is a family owned company, involving his wife and sons. It specializes in the design of complex mechanical modules for some of the world’s most prestigious watchmaking brands. Jean-Marc Wiederrecht’s experience, knowledge and inventiveness have earned Agenhor’s creations a number of prestigious awards, including several at the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève, considered the Oscars of the timepiece world.

The production crew – our manufacturing partners

At the heart of Singer Reimagined are all the talented people who have helped make this project a reality. Nothing would have been possible without this team of industry experts, who bring together an unparalleled depth and breadth of skill and experience.

Just as Agenhor has played a pivotal role in the development of this revolutionary chronograph, so too has every manufacturing partner made an invaluable contribution.

As masters in their respective fields, each has been specially selected for their shared passion for excellence. Not surprisingly then, the whole crew has been caught up in the enthusiasm of bringing an extraordinary project to life.

Being part of the Singer Reimagined adventure is not about playing it safe, it is about authentic collaboration, united by a need to explore beyond the boundaries of traditional mechanical watchmaking in search of a brush with perfection.

Experts like Del West, an industry leader in the field of high-precision machining for both watches and cars, and Fiedler SA, one of the most renowned fabricators of watch hands in the watchmaking industry, have partnered up with SR in the quest to push boundaries and take on new challenges.

Working in collaboration. Everything is important.

SINGER TRACK1 – THE CHRONOGRAPH REIMAGINED

Singer Reimagined distils the essence of iconic stop watches from the1960s and 1970s to reimagine the chronograph, giving birth to a new watch with history on its side. Form follows function, with a radical focus on legibility through the centralized display of all the chronograph functions thanks to a revolutionary movement.

Forget everything you thought you knew about the chronograph. While Singer Track1 references the aesthetic of a golden era of watch-making, in execution it abandons conventions. The lofty objective of Singer Reimagined is to distill, enhance and combine the elements of greatness that define the iconic stop watches of the 1960s and 1970s.

Chronographs are concerned, above all else, with elapsed time. The pursuit of a perfect lap is measured not by the time of day but by the accurate calculation of the passing seconds. Accordingly, Singer Track1 collection reverses the accepted order of precedence, driven by the belief that beauty comes from the uncompromising pursuit of optimized functionality.

Here, the chronograph function takes centre-stage - as it should in a sports watch. The chronograph hours, minutes and seconds are coaxially mounted in the center of the dial, allowing the elapsed time to be read easily and clearly with just a glance. The legibility of the dial, reminiscent of dashboard instruments, is further enhanced by instantaneous jumping hours and minutes.

The time of day is not forgotten but is instead presented in fascinating relief around the periphery of the dial. The hours and minutes are indicated at 6 o’clock by the small indicator set just above 2 rotating discs. These are crafted from high-tech PVD coated, hardened aluminum. The recessed, engraved numerals are filled with luminescent material to ensure excellent legibility even in low light conditions.

The Singer Track1 is powered by a revolutionary automatic column-wheel chronograph movement, boasting completely new design and movement architecture. Developed with Agenhor, this complex engine is equipped with a series of snail cams, which enable the centralized chronograph indications. Its functionality is further enhanced by a novel clutch system, allowing for a smoother operation of the chronograph. Its unique 3x60 display (60 seconds, 60 minutes, 60 hours) is exclusive to Singer Reimagined.

34.40mm in diameter, this innovative twin-barrel calibre beats at 3 Hz for a healthy power reserve of more than 60 hours. To enable the best view of the intricacies of movement, which is comprised of no fewer than 477 perfectly hand finished parts, the rotor has been placed on the dial side.

A Mighty Timepiece

With clean, dynamic lines, the stylish case offers a modern take on classic 1960s chronograph design. It has a distinctive barrel-shape with a thin, round bezel and it is softly curved for enhanced ergonomics. 43 mm in diameter, it is crafted from titanium with alternate polished and sunray brushed finishes. Although their primary function is displaying the time, the raised hour and minute discs are an integral part

of the design, re-interpreting the bezels of 1960s racing chronographs in a whole new dimension. In line with this sporty, motoring inspiration, the Singer Track1 also features a tachymeter scale along the flange.

The gently domed chronograph pushers are unusually located on opposite sides of the case to optimize operation - start / stop on the right and reset on the left, just like early dashboard timers. Their profile and surface ensure smooth handling, further enhanced by a special mechanism designed to optimally adjust their stiffness. There is indeed a certain sense of pleasure that comes from feeling the button release under the right amount of finger pressure while hearing the perfect click.

The crown meanwhile is ergonomically integrated into the case band at 4 o’clock. Its slim shape and deliberate positioning serve to further enhance the importance of the chronograph pushers.

To enhance legibility as much as possible, the face of the watch features various finishes to create a sense of depth and contrast. The outer part of the dial is sunray brushed with applied markers, while the seconds-track distinct orange accents. The central part of the dial is snailed and features Arabic numerals in a bespoke font. The contrasting baton-style hands are shaped to perfectly overlap once the chronograph is reset. In the center, the brushed aluminum central cabochon is reminiscent of Porsche speedometers and it is one of the few elements directly inspired by the ‘911’.

The Singer Track1 is worn on a soft black calf leather strap with khaki green alligator lining. It is made by expert craftsmen from selected hides and materials, with the same care and attention to detail that Singer Vehicle Design lavishes on its interiors. It is perforated with brushed titanium screw down rivets - a Singer Vehicle Design signature echoing the early Porsche 911’s. The pin buckle is in brushed titanium with polished edges.

THE ENGINE

The Singer Track1 is powered by a revolutionary movement. This radical reengineering allows the watch to go beyond the limitations imposed by preceding mechanisms, enabling a centralized indication of the chronograph functions, enhancing legibility and performance while ensuring smooth operation.

While the chronograph is one of the most popular complications, many people do not realize that its mechanism is among the most complex to design and manufacture.

The AgenGraphe, the caliber powering the Singer Track1 stands apart from all previous chronograph movements. The result of a decade of development, this groundbreaking piece of mechanical ingenuity is radically different from anything that has come before it, completely redefining fundamental principles that have remained unchanged for decades.

The underlying idea that led to the invention of the AgenGraphe was to enhance the legibility of the chronograph – which is usually poor due to the indications being spread out across the dial combined with the use of small counters. The AgenGraphe brings together all the chronograph functions in the center of the watch, allowing for an easy and intuitive reading of elapsed time.

Achieving this required radically new movement architecture in order to create space centrally for the chronograph mechanism. As a result, the timekeeping functions are built into the periphery.

To further enhance legibility, the chronograph incorporates jumping minute and hour indicators. Energy is stored for an entire minute (or hour) before being released precisely when a feeler-spindle working with a snail cam falls, generating an instantaneous increment of a full minute (or hour). When the chronograph is engaged, the constant rotation of the snail cam charges the minutes and hours cam, enabling the operation of the chronograph to remain constant. Thus, it avoids varying forces affecting the amplitude of the movement, resulting in greater precision.

These snail cams, combined with the efficient application of tribologic principles, also allow for the resetting of the chronograph. Activating the reset pusher releases the brake on the seconds wheel and lifts the minutes and hours stars’ jumpers and their click wheels to enable the reset to zero. The feeler-spindles, tensioned on the cams by springs, are then free to gently slip back to their zero resting position. This smart architecture avoids the violent reset shocks of traditional chronographs with heart- shaped cam systems.

New clutch mechanism

To connect this innovative chronograph module to the regular timekeeping gear train powering it, the AgenGraphe incorporates a novel clutch mechanism dubbed AgenClutch that combines the best of the existing systems, the horizontal and vertical clutches.

With the AgenClutch, the coupling of the chronograph is made horizontally, which requires less space. Unlike traditional horizontal clutches however, the connection is made by friction between wheels with no teeth, which avoids the drawbacks of teeth meshing together causing the hands to sometimes vibrate.

To prevent the two smooth coupled discs from slipping, they are coated with a diamond nickel composite material, Dianip that increases frictional resistance. In addition, these work with long toothed security wheels designed to prevent the clutch from deindexing.

A tulip shaped spring allows the clutch to function smoothly. It enables the two wheels of the clutch to be coupled in contact while providing active flexibility. In case of shock the tulip spring can move until it reaches the strongest part of the clutch lever and the security wheels will always be effective.

AgenPit regulator

The AgenGraphe also features the smart, patented AgenPit regulator that eliminates the need for a balance spring stud. At its end, the last coil is guided into a groove by an adjustment screw. Once its optimal active length is set, it can be locked by a clip to hold it in place.